Shear wave elastrography method and apparatus for imaging an anisotropic medium

ABSTRACT

A shear wave elastography method for imaging an observation field in an anisotropic medium, including an initial ultrasonic acquisition step during which initial physical parameters are acquired in at least one region of interest; a spatial characterization step during which a set of spatial characteristics of the anisotropic medium is determined on the basis of the initial physical parameter; an excitation substep during which an shear wave is generated inside the anisotropic medium on the basis of the set of spatial characteristics; and an observation substep during which the propagation of the shear wave is observed simultaneously at a multitude of points in the observation field.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to imaging methods and apparatuses using shear waves, more precisely to shear wave elastography method and apparatuses for imaging anisotropic media.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

U.S. Pat. No. 7,252,004 describes an example of a shear wave elastography method for imaging a viscoelastic medium. While the method of U.S. Pat. No. 7,252,004 gives full satisfaction when the viscoelastic medium is homogeneous, the reproducibility and reliability of images and measurements is not optimal when the viscoelastic medium is an anisotropic medium containing fibers.

In fact, measurements and images obtained with shear wave elastography are computed from the observed displacement and/or deformation of the viscoelastic medium submitted to a shear wave.

Unfortunately, shear wave propagates differently in anisotropic medium containing fibers compared to homogeneous medium since their propagation parameters depend not only of the physical characteristics of the medium but also of the relative angle of the shear wave front with fibers directions.

Thus, depending on the relative angle of the shear wave propagation direction with fibers directions, the measured value of the propagation parameters of the shear wave can vary and gives non reliable and non reproducible measurements and images to the shear wave elastography.

The instant invention has notably for object to improve the situation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To this aim, according to the invention, such a shear wave elastography method for imaging an anisotropic medium comprises

a) an initial ultrasonic acquisition step during which at least one initial physical parameter is acquired in at least one region of interest in the anisotropic medium;

b) a spatial characterization step during which a set of spatial characteristics of the anisotropic medium is determined on the basis of the initial physical parameter; and

c) a shear wave imaging step comprising:

-   -   c1) an excitation substep during which a shear wave is generated         inside the anisotropic medium on the basis of said set of         spatial characteristics; and     -   c2) an observation substep during which the propagation of said         shear wave is observed simultaneously at a multitude of points         in the observation field.

In some embodiments, one might also use one or more of the following features:

-   -   the set of spatial characteristics of the anisotropic medium         comprises at least one of the following: a direction, spatial         angle or spatial position of anisotropic features in the at         least one region of interest, and a preferred excitation spatial         direction in the at least one region of interest;     -   the initial physical parameter is an image of the at least one         region of interest in the anisotropic medium acquired using         B-mode ultrasonic imaging;     -   the initial ultrasonic acquisition step comprises a shear wave         imaging step comprising:

an excitation substep during which an shear wave is generated inside the anisotropic medium with at least one shear wave direction, and

an observation substep during which the propagation of said shear wave is observed simultaneously at a multitude of points in the at least one region of interest to acquire an initial physical parameter;

-   -   the initial ultrasonic acquisition step comprises a plurality of         shear wave imaging steps associated with a plurality of shear         wave directions and with a plurality of initial physical         parameters acquired in at least one region of interest in the         anisotropic medium, each shear wave imaging step of the         plurality of shear wave imaging steps comprising an excitation         substep during which a shear wave is generated inside the         anisotropic medium with an associated shear wave direction of         the plurality of shear wave directions, and an observation         substep during which the propagation of said shear wave is         observed simultaneously at a multitude of points in the at least         one region of interest to acquire an associated initial physical         parameter of the plurality of initial physical parameters;     -   said initial physical parameters are images of the region of         interest in the anisotropic medium acquired using shear wave         imaging;     -   said initial physical parameters are shear wave propagation         parameters, acquired in the at least one region of interest,         using shear wave imaging;     -   said shear wave propagation parameters are selected from shear         wave speed, shear modulus μ, Young's modulus E, shear elasticity         μ1, shear viscosity μ2;     -   during the initial ultrasonic acquisition step, at least two         initial physical parameters are acquired, respectively         associated to at least two distinct regions of interest in the         anisotropic medium, and, during the spatial characterization         step, at least two sets of spatial characteristics are         determined, respectively on the basis of the at least two         initial physical parameters, and respectively associated to the         at least two distinct regions of interest in the anisotropic         medium, and, during the shear wave imaging step, during the         excitation substep, at least two shear waves are generated         inside the anisotropic medium, respectively on the basis of the         at least two sets of spatial characteristics, and, during the         observation substep, the propagation of said at least two shear         waves is observed simultaneously at a multitude of points in the         observation field;     -   the spatial characterization step comprises extracting a set of         spatial characteristics by performing features detection on at         least one image of the anisotropic medium acquired during the         initial ultrasonic acquisition step;     -   the spatial characterization step comprises comparing shear wave         propagation parameters of the plurality of shear wave         propagation parameters acquired during the initial ultrasonic         acquisition step to determine a preferred excitation spatial         direction in the anisotropic medium;     -   the spatial characterization step comprises displaying an image         of the anisotropic medium acquired during the initial ultrasonic         acquisition step to a user using a display device connected to a         central processing unit, said user indicating spatial         characteristics of the anisotropic medium using an input device         connected to said central processing unit;     -   said user indicates spatial characteristics of the anisotropic         medium by moving, using said input device, a position of a         virtual line displayed above said image of the anisotropic         medium on said display device, said line being indicative of a         spatial characteristic of the anisotropic medium;     -   said user indicates spatial characteristics by measuring, on         said image of the anisotropic medium displayed on the display         device, a numerical value of a spatial characteristic of the         anisotropic medium using conventional angle measurement tools         provided by an ultrasound system, said user then entering said         numerical value in the central processing unit using the input         device;     -   the shear wave is generated by emitting at least one focused         ultrasound waves in the anisotropic medium using an array of         transducers controlled by the central processing unit, the         location of the focal points of said focused ultrasound waves         and the timing of said focused ultrasound waves being determined         by the central processing unit on the basis of the set of         spatial characteristics of the anisotropic medium;     -   the location of the focal points and the timing of the plurality         of focused ultrasound waves generating the shear wave are         determined so that a wave front of said shear wave is         substantially perpendicular to at least one of: a direction of         anisotropic features in the anisotropic medium and a preferred         excitation spatial direction in the anisotropic medium;     -   the location of the focal points and the timing of the plurality         of focused ultrasound waves generating the shear wave are         determined so that a propagation direction of said shear wave is         substantially aligned with at least one of: a direction of         anisotropic features in the anisotropic medium and a preferred         excitation spatial direction in the anisotropic medium;     -   the observation substep comprises the operations of:         -   c2-1) causing an array of transducers that are controlled             independently of one another to emit into the anisotropic             medium a succession of ultrasound waves with spatial             coverage and timing adapted so that said ultrasound waves             exhibit at least partial spatial and temporal overlap with             the propagating shear wave in the observation field, and         -   c2-2) causing sound signals received from the anisotropic             medium to be detected and recorded in real time by said             array of transducers, said signals comprising echoes             generated by the ultrasound waves interacting with             scatterers in said anisotropic medium,         -   the shear wave imaging step c) further comprising at least             one processing substep c3) during which:         -   c3-1) the sound signals received successively from the             anisotropic medium during operation c2-2) are processed in             order to determine successive propagation images of the             shear wave, and         -   c3-2) at least one movement parameter of the anisotropic             medium is determined at different points of the observation             field;     -   during the initial ultrasonic acquisition step, a shear wave         propagating along at least two shear wave directions is         generated inside the anisotropic medium, and     -   during the processing substep, sound signals received from the         anisotropic medium are filtered according to the at least two         shear wave directions to determine said at least one initial         physical parameter;     -   said movement parameter is a displacement of the anisotropic         medium;     -   at said operation c2-1), said unfocused ultrasound compression         waves are emitted at a rate of at least 300 shots per second;     -   the focused ultrasound wave emitted during excitation substep         presents a frequency f lying in the range 0.1 MHz to 100 MHz,         and is emitted for a duration of k/f seconds, where k is an         integer lying in the range 50 to 5000 and f is expressed in Hz;     -   the focused ultrasound wave emitted during excitation substep         presents a frequency lying in the range 0.5 MHz to 15 MHz and is         emitted during a succession of emission periods separated by         rest periods, the emission periods following one another at a         rate lying in the range 10 to 1000 emissions per second;     -   the focused ultrasound wave emitted during excitation substep         c1) is a linear combination of two monochromatic signals having         respective frequencies f1 and f2 such that 20 Hz≦|f1−f2|≦1000         Hz;     -   a focused ultrasound wave emitted during excitation substep is         focused simultaneously on a plurality of focal points;     -   image processing substep is followed by a mapping substep during         which, on the basis of variation in the movement parameter over         time, at least one shear wave propagation parameter is         calculated at at least some points of the observation field in         order to determine a map of said propagation parameter in the         observation field;     -   the shear wave propagation parameter which is calculated during         mapping substep is selected from shear wave speed, shear         modulus, Young's modulus, shear wave attenuation, shear         elasticity, shear viscosity, mechanical relaxation time and the         inverse of local strain;     -   substeps are repeated successively while emitting different         plurality of focused ultrasound waves during successive         excitation substeps, and then combining the maps obtained during         the successive mapping substeps in order to calculate a         combination map of the observation field;     -   steps b) and c) are reiterated at least once, a map of a         propagation parameter in the observation field acquired during         step c) at iteration n being used as initial physical parameter         for step b) at iteration n+1.

The invention also has as an object, an imaging apparatus for implementing a shear wave elastography method as detailed above for imaging an observation field in an anisotropic medium, the apparatus comprising an array of transducers that are controlled independently of one another by at least one electronic central unit adapted:

-   -   to acquire at least one initial physical parameter in at least         one region of interest in the anisotropic medium;     -   to determine a set of spatial characteristics of the anisotropic         medium on the basis of the initial physical parameter;     -   to cause an shear wave to be generated inside the anisotropic         medium on the basis of said set of spatial characteristics; and     -   to observe the propagation of said shear wave simultaneously at         a multitude of points in the observation field.

With these features, the shear wave characteristics and in particular the wave front and the propagation direction of the shear wave can be determined on the basis of the spatial characteristics of the anisotropic medium. This strongly improves the quality, reliability and reproducibility of the images and measurement obtained by shear wave elastography and imaging.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the invention appear from the following detailed description of one embodiment thereof, given by way of non-limiting example, and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a shear-wave imaging device in an embodiment of the invention;

FIGS. 2a, 2b and 2c are schematic views of several shear waves generated in an anisotropic medium by different plurality of focused ultrasound waves.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The apparatus 1 shown on FIG. 1 is adapted for imaging an observation field 2 a in an anisotropic medium 2.

The anisotropic medium 2 contains anisotropic features 3 which present identifiable spatial extension directions 3 a. Anisotropic features 3 can be for instance fibers, tissue interfaces or anisotropic tissues, vessels, nerves, anisotropic constituents such as elongated cells or organelles and more generally any spatially oriented constituent of a tissue, in particular a living tissue.

Anisotropic medium 2 can for instance be a part of a living patient containing muscles or tendons. Such tissues contain anisotropic features 3 in the form of fibers 3, for instance muscles fascicles surrounded by perimysium, or arrays of collagen fibers in tendons, ligaments and fasciae. Such fibers 3 are strongly anisotropic and present identifiable spatial extension directions 3 a, thus rendering the medium 2 anisotropic. Some fibers 3 might also be grouped in bundles of fibers usually extending along parallel directions 3 a.

More precisely, the apparatus 1 is used to perform shear wave elastography of the anisotropic medium 2 to obtain an image or a measurement of shear wave propagation parameters in the observation field 2 a.

A conventional shear wave elastography measurement or imaging is carried out by:

-   -   having a mechanical shear wave 14 propagates through the         anisotropic medium 2, in particular through the observation         field 2 a; and     -   observing the propagation of this shear wave 14 in the         observation field 2 a through reflexion of ultrasonic waves on         scatterers 2 b which are reflective for the ultrasound waves and         are naturally contained in biological tissues.

The particles 2 b may be constituted by any non-uniformity in the anisotropic medium 2, for instance particles of collagen or more generally any inhomogeneity having a density that differs for the density of the surrounding medium.

Shear wave elastography measurements and images are then processed based on the observed displacement and/or deformation of tissues when penetrated by the shear wave.

As already mentioned, shear wave propagates differently in anisotropic media compared to homogeneous media.

In particular, the propagation of the shear wave depends not only on the physical characteristics of the medium 2 but also on the angle of the shear wave front, or of the shear wave propagation direction 14 a, with favored directions 3 a in the anisotropic medium 2.

Consequently, depending for instance on the relative angle of the shear wave propagation direction 14 a with anisotropic features 3, the measured value of the propagation parameters of the shear wave 14 can vary thus giving non reliable and non reproducible shear wave elastography measurements and images.

The structure and general way of operation of a shear wave imaging step c) such as the one performed by apparatus 1 has already been described in details in document U.S. Pat. No. B2-7,252,004 and will be shortly recalled hereafter.

The apparatus 1 may include for instance:

-   -   an ultrasound transducer array 4, for instance a linear array         typically including n ultrasonic transducers T₁-T_(n) juxtaposed         along an axis as already known in usual echographic probes (the         array 4 is then adapted to perform a bidimensional (2D) imaging         of the observation field, but the array 4 could also be a         bidimensional array adapted to perform a 3D imaging of the         observation field); the number n of transducers is more than 1,         for instance a few tens (e.g. 100 to 300); the transducers         T₁-T_(n) deliver ultrasound wave pulses, which pulses are of the         type commonly used in echography, for example having a frequency         lying in the range 0.5 MHz to 100 MHz, and preferably in the         range 0.5 MHz to 15 MHz, e.g. being about 2.5 MHz;     -   an electronic bay 5 controlling the transducer array 4 and         acquiring signals there from;     -   a microcomputer 6 for controlling the electronic bay 5 and         viewing ultrasound images obtained from the electronic bay, said         computer 6 including a display unit 6 a, for instance a screen,         and input devices 6 b such as a keyboard, a mouse or other user         interfaces.

The electronic bay 5 and the microcomputer 6 will be referred herein as the control system of the apparatus 1. Such control system might be constituted of more than two devices, or by one single electronic device could fulfill all the functionalities of the electronic bay 5 and of the microcomputer 6.

The electronic bay 5 may include for instance:

-   -   n analog/digital converters 7 (E₁-E_(n)) individually connected         to the n transducers (T₁-T_(n)) of the transducer array 4;     -   n buffer memories 8 (M₁-M_(n)) respectively connected to the n         analog/digital converters 7;     -   a central processing unit 9 (CPU) communicating with the buffer         memories 8 and the microcomputer 6;     -   a digital signal processor 11 (DSP) connected to the central         processing unit 9;     -   a memory 10 (MEM) connected to the central processing unit 8.

The transducers T₁-T_(n) are controlled independently of one another by the central processing unit 9. The transducers T1-Tn can thus emit selectively:

-   -   an unfocussed ultrasound wave;     -   or a focused ultrasound wave that is focused on one or more         points of the observation field 2 a.

The wording “unfocussed ultrasound wave” as understood herein means any unfocussed wave illuminating the entire observation field 2 a, for instance:

-   -   an ultrasound compression wave that is “plane” (i.e. a wave         whose wave front is rectilinear in the X,Y plane), or any other         type of unfocused wave;     -   a wave generated by causing random sound signals to be emitted         by the various transducers T₁-T_(n);     -   a diverging wave, for instance a spherical waves;     -   a wave focused simultaneously on several focal points;     -   a weakly focusing waves (known as “fat” transmit focusing:ratio         Focal distance/Aperture>2.5);     -   or more generally any kind of transmit waves that do not         correspond to conventional focusing using a single focal point         location and a ratio Focal distance/Aperture<2.5.

During operation of the apparatus 1, the transducer array 4 is placed in contact with the anisotropic medium 2, for instance with the skin of a patient.

The way of operation of the apparatus 1 is controlled by the control system, i.e. the central processing unit 9 and/or the computer 6, which are programmed for this way of operation. These two devices will hereafter be called the control system of apparatus 1 (of course, the control system could be different from the particular example described herein and in particular could be constituted by one single electronic device as recalled before, or by more than two electronic devices).

The operation of apparatus 1 to perform shear wave imaging will now be described in relation with shear wave imaging step c) but also apply to embodiments of the initial ultrasonic acquisition step a) in which initial physical parameters are acquired by shear wave imaging or elastography as described in further details hereafter.

The control system 6, 9 of the apparatus 1 is programmed to perform several substeps in succession, starting with an excitation substep c1) during which the control system 6, 9 causes a shear wave 14 to be generated in the observation field 2 a by causing at least one focused ultrasound wave 13, focused on a focal point 13 a of the anisotropic medium 2, to be emitted by the array 4 (this focussed wave 13 may be emitted by all or part of the transducers T₁-T_(n));

In particular and as it will be further detailed below, the focused ultrasound waves 13 emitted during excitation substep c1) may be focused on a plurality of points 13 a simultaneously or at different times so that the shear wave 14 as generated presents a desired wave shape.

It is thus possible to generate a shear wave 14 that is plane, or on the contrary a shear wave that is focused) and illuminates desired zones in the observation field 2 a of the anisotropic medium 2.

In particular, the shear wave 14 can present a shear wave front and a shear wave direction 14 a that can be controlled by the position of the focal points 13 a and the timing of the emission of the focused ultrasound waves 13.

With reference to FIG. 2a , a specific shear wave 14 can thus be generated by the emission of several focused ultrasound waves 13 simultaneously or within a short period of time, said ultrasound waves 13 having focal points 13 a aligned along a line in the anisotropic medium 2.

The resulting shear wave 14 has a shear wave front that is substantially parallel to the alignment line of the focal points 13 a and a propagation direction 14 a that is substantially perpendicular to said line.

With reference to FIG. 2b , a specific shear wave 14 is illustrated that is generated by the emission of several focused ultrasound waves 13 with a longer period of time separating each emission, said ultrasound waves 13 having focal points 13a aligned along a line in the anisotropic medium 2.

The resulting shear wave 14 has a shear wave front with a higher angle relative to the alignment line of the focal points 13 a than the above shear wave illustrated on FIG. 2 a.

Referring now to FIG. 2c , another specific shear wave 14 is illustrated that is generated by the emission of several focused ultrasound waves 13 having focal points 13 a aligned along a different line in the anisotropic medium 2, said line being inclined relatively to a vertical direction perpendicular to the array 4.

FIGS. 2a, 2b and 2c thus illustrates some of the various shear wave 14, that can be generated by the control system 6, 9 of the apparatus 1 by varying the position of the focal points 13 a of the focused ultrasound waves 13 and the timing of the emission of the focused ultrasound waves 13.

Other types of shear wave 14 can also be generated, for instance, by varying the position of the focal points 13a of the focused ultrasound waves 13 and the timing of the emission of the focused ultrasound waves 13, the control system 6, 9 of the apparatus 1 may generate a shear wave 14 propagating along two or more shear wave directions. By “two shear wave directions”, it is understood that said shear wave directions are not collinear.

The focused ultrasound wave emitted during the excitation substep c1) may be a monochromatic wave of frequency f lying in the range 0.5 MHz to 15 MHz, for example being equal to about 2.5 MHz, which is emitted for a duration of k/f seconds, where k is an integer lying in the range 50 to 5000 (e.g. being about 500) and f is expressed in Hz. Such a wave may possibly be emitted during a succession of emission periods separated by rest periods, the emission periods following one another at a rate lying in the range 5 to 1000 emissions per second.

In a variant, the focused ultrasound wave emitted during excitation substep c1) is a linear combination (in particular a sum) of two monochromatic signals of respective frequencies f1 and f2 such that 20 Hz≦|f1-f2|≦1000 Hz, thus producing an amplitude modulated wave having a modulation frequency |f1-f2|.

The apparatus 1 then performs an observation substep c2) during which the propagation of the shear wave 14 is observed simultaneously at a multitude of points of the observation field 2 a), this observation step comprising the following operations:

c2-1) the control system 6, 9 causes the array 4 to emit into the anisotropic medium a succession of unfocused ultrasound compression waves (these unfocussed waves may be emitted by all or part of the transducers T₁-T_(n)) at a rate of at least 300 shots per second, for instance at least 500 shots/s (the focusing and the timing of the focussed ultrasound wave emitted in step a), and the timing of said unfocused ultrasound waves are adapted so that at least some of said unfocused ultrasound waves reach the observation field during the propagation of the shear wave through the observation field);

c2-2) the control system 6, 9 causes the array 4 to detect sound signals received from the anisotropic medium 2 (this detection can be carried out by all or part of the transducers of the array 4), said signals comprising echoes generated by the unfocused ultrasound compression wave interacting with scatterers 2 b in the observation field, these echoes corresponding (directly or indirectly) to successive images of the displacement of the anisotropic medium 2; the detected signals are recorded in real time in the buffer memories M₁-M_(n);

The apparatus 1 then performs at least one processing substep c3) during which:

c3-1) the control system 6, 9 processes the successive sound signals received from the anisotropic medium 2 during operation c2-2) in order to determine successive propagation images; and

c3-2) the control system 6, 9 determines at least one movement parameter for the anisotropic medium 2 at various points in the observation field 2 a.

It should be noted that the above operation c3-1) could be omitted: more generally, the method of the invention does not require determining propagation images, and the control system 6, 9 may determine said movement parameter by any other means.

During operation c2-1), which may last for example 0.1 to 180 s, it is possible to emit unfocused ultrasound compression waves at a rate lying in the range 500 to 10,000 shots per second, and preferably in the range 1000 to 5000 shots per second (with this rate being limited by the go-and-return travel time for the compression wave through the patient's body 2: it is necessary for all of the echoes that are generated by the compression wave to have been received by the probe 6 before a new compression wave is sent).

In the embodiment wherein the shear wave, emitted during the initial ultrasonic acquisition step, propagates along two or more shear wave directions, sound signals received from the anisotropic medium may be filtered, during the processing substep, according to said shear wave directions to determine said initial physical parameter.

In one embodiment, the sound signals received from the anisotropic medium are filtered to determine two or more initial physical parameters respectively associated to the two or more shear wave directions.

Such a filtering operation may for instance be a temporal or spatial filtering of the successive sound signals received from the anisotropic medium 2 during operation c2-2) or of the movement parameters determined during operation c3-2).

Each unfocused ultrasound compression wave propagates through the patient's body 2 at a propagation speed that is much higher than that of shear waves (e.g. about 1500 m/s in the human body), and interacts with the reflecting particles 2 b, thereby generating echoes or other analogous disturbances in the signal that are known in themselves under the name “speckle noise” in the field of echography.

The speckle noise is picked up by the transducers T₁-T_(n) during substep b2), after each shot of an unfocused ultrasound compression wave. The signal s_(ij)(t) as picked up in this way by each transducer T_(i) after shot No. j is initially sampled at high frequency (e.g. 30 MHz to 100 MHz) and digitized (e.g. on 12 bits) in real time by the analog/digital converter E_(i) corresponding to transducer T_(i).

The signal s_(ij)(t) as sampled and digitized in this way is then stored, likewise in real time, in a the buffer memory M_(i) corresponding to the transducer T_(i).

By way of example, each memory M_(i) may present a capacity of about 128 megabytes (MB), and contains all of the signals s_(ij)(t) received in succession for shots j=1 to p.

In deferred time, after all of the signals s_(ij)(t) corresponding to the same propagation of a shear wave have been stored, the central unit 9 processes these signals (or have them processed by another circuit such a summing circuit, or the computer 6 may process the signals itself) using a conventional path-forming step corresponding to substep c1).

This generates signals S₁(x,y) each corresponding to the image of the observation field after shot No. j.

For example, it is possible to determine a signal S_(j)(t) by the following formula:

${S_{j}(t)} = {\sum\limits_{i = 1}^{n}{{\alpha_{i}\left( {x,y} \right)} \cdot {s_{ij}\left\lbrack {{t\left( {x,y} \right)} + {{d_{i}\left( {x,y} \right)}/V}} \right\rbrack}}}$

where:

-   -   s_(ij) is the raw signal perceived by the transducer No. i after         ultrasound compression wave shot No. j;     -   t(x,y) is the time taken by the ultrasound compression wave to         reach the point of the observation field having coordinates         (x,y), with t=0 at the beginning of shot No. j;     -   d_(i)(x,y) is the distance between the point of the observation         field having coordinates (x,y) and transducer No. i, or an         approximation to said distance;     -   V is the mean propagation speed of ultrasound compression waves         in the viscoelastic medium under observation; and     -   α_(i)(x,y) is a weighting coefficient taking account of         apodization relationships (in practice, in numerous cases, it is         possible to assume that α_(i)(x,y)=1).

The above formula applies mutatis mutandis when the observation field is three-dimensional (with a two-dimensional array of transducers), with space coordinates (x,y) being replaced by (x,y,z).

After the optional path-forming step, the central unit 9 stores in the central memory M, the image signals S_(j)(x,y) (or S_(j)(x) if the image would be in 1 dimension only, or S_(j)(x,y,z) in case of a 3D image), each corresponding to shot No. j. These signals may also be stored in the computer 6 if the computer itself performs the image processing.

These images are then processed in deferred time in operation c3-2) by correlation and advantageously by cross-correlation either in pairs, or preferably with a reference image, as explained in U.S. Pat. No. B2-7,252,004.

The above-mentioned cross-correlation can be performed, for example, in the digital signal processor 11, or it may be programmed in the central unit 9 or in the computer 6.

During this cross-correlation process, a cross-correlation function <S_(j)(x,y),S_(j+1)(x,y)> is maximized in order to determine the displacement to which each particle 2 b giving rise to an ultrasound echo has been subjected.

Examples of such cross-correlation calculations are given in U.S. Pat. No. B2-7,252,004.

This produces a set of displacement vectors ū(r,t) generated by the shear waves in each position r of the observation field 2 a of the anisotropic medium 2 under the effect of the shear wave (these displacement vectors may optionally be reduced to a single component in the example described herein).

This set of displacement vectors is stored in the memory M or in the computer 6 and can be displayed, for example, in particular by means of the screen 4 a of the computer, in the form of a slow motion picture in which the values of the displacements are illustrated by an optical parameter such as a gray level or a color level.

The propagation differences of the shear wave between zones having different characteristics in the anisotropic medium 2 can thus be seen clearly.

The motion picture of shear wave propagation can also be superposed on a conventional echographic image, which can also be generated by the apparatus 1 described above.

Furthermore, it is also possible to calculate, instead of displacements, the deformations of the anisotropic medium 2 for each of the points in the observation field 2 a, i.e. vectors whose components are the derivatives of the displacement vectors respectively relative to the space variables (X and Y coordinates in the example described). These deformation vectors can be used like the displacement vectors for clearly viewing the propagation of the shear wave in the form of a motion picture, and they also present the advantage of eliminating displacements of the transducer array 4 relative to a patient's body under observation.

From the displacement or deformation fields, the computer 6 (or more generally the control system 6, 9) can advantageously then proceed with a map-making substep c4) during which, on the basis of the way in which the movement parameter (displacement or deformation) varies over time in the field of observation X, Y (or X, Y, Z with a two-dimensional array of transducers), it calculates at least one propagation parameter of the shear wave, either at certain points (at least 1 point) in the observation field 2 a as selected by the user acting on the computer 6, or else throughout the observation field 2 a.

The propagation parameter of the shear wave that is calculated during the map-making substep c4) is selected, for example, from amongst: the shear modulus μ, or Young's modulus E=3μ, or the propagation speed c_(s) of shear waves

$\left( {{c_{s} = \sqrt{\frac{E}{3\rho}}},} \right.$

where ρ is the density of the tissues), or the shear elasticity μ1, as explained in more details in U.S. Pat. No. B2-7,252,004, or the inverse of local strain. Such propagation parameter is representative of the elasticity of the anisotropic medium constituting the observation field 2 a.

This propagation parameter may be computed for instance by the computer 6, repeatedly at several different instants, several times per second (e.g. at a rate of at least 5 times per second, e.g. at least 10 times per second).

Preliminary to the shear wave imaging step c), the apparatus 1 performs several steps that will now be detailed further.

During an initial imaging step a), at least one initial physical parameter is acquired for at least one region of interest 2 c in the anisotropic medium 2.

In a first embodiment, the initial physical parameter is acquired using B-mode ultrasonic imaging. The initial physical parameter can be, in particular, an image of the region of interest 2 c in the anisotropic medium 2.

To this aim, the control system 6, 9 can perform a conventional B-mode ultrasound image of the observation field 2 a using the transducer array 4 in a standard ultrasound way. Standard ultrasound imaging consists of an insonification of the medium with a cylindrical wave that focuses on a given point. Using the backscattered echoes of this single insonification, a complete line of the image is computed using a dynamic receive beamforming process.

In a second embodiment of the invention, the initial physical parameter is acquired using shear wave elastography or imaging.

In this second embodiment, the initial physical parameter can be a shear wave propagation parameter or an image obtained by shear wave imaging.

The control system 6, 9 may in particular acquire the image by performing a shear wave elastography or imaging similar to the shear wave imaging step c) described here-before.

Thus, the initial ultrasonic acquisition step may comprises a shear wave imaging step comprising:

a1) an excitation substep during which a shear wave is generated inside the anisotropic medium with a shear wave direction; and

a2) an observation substep during which the propagation of said shear wave is observed simultaneously at a multitude of points in the at least one region of interest to acquire an initial physical parameter.

Advantageously, the initial imaging step a), can comprise the acquisition of several initial physical parameters, each comprising step a1) and step a2).

Thus several shear wave propagation parameters may be measured at one or several points of interest 2 b or within the region of interest 2 c of the anisotropic medium.

Several images of the region of interest of the anisotropic medium may also be acquired.

The shear wave propagation parameters may for instance be selected from shear wave speed, shear modulus μ, Young's modulus E, shear elasticity μ1, shear viscosity μ2.

Then, in a spatial characterization step b), a set of spatial characteristics of the region of interest in the anisotropic medium is determined based on the initial physical parameter or the plurality of initial physical parameters.

The set of spatial characteristics may for instance comprises the direction of anisotropic features 3 or the spatial angle of the anisotropic features 3 with a reference plane or line such as the direction of extension of the transducer array 4, for instance the spatial angle of fibers direction 3 a with the direction of extension of the transducer array 4. The set of spatial characteristics may also comprises the spatial position or location of the anisotropic features 3 in the anisotropic medium 2, in particular, the spatial position of said anisotropic features in the bidimensional (2D) or tridimensional (3D) imaging of the region of interest. The set of spatial characteristics may also comprise a preferred excitation spatial direction in the region of interest.

Advantageously, in a first embodiment of the invention, the initial physical parameters are B-mode or shear wave images and the spatial characterization step b) can be performed automatically. In particular, step b) may thus comprise the extraction of a set of spatial characteristics by performing features detection on at least one image of the observation field in the anisotropic medium acquired during the initial ultrasonic acquisition step.

In a variant of this first embodiment of the invention, the spatial characterization step b) may be performed manually.

To this aim, a B-mode or shear wave image may be displayed on the display device 6 a to be seen by a user, for instance a medical practitioner or an operator using apparatus 1.

Said user can then indicate spatial characteristics of fibers 3 using the input devices 6 b connected to said central processing unit 6, 9.

In a first variant of the invention, user indicates spatial characteristics of fibers 3 by moving the position of a virtual line displayed above the image of the anisotropic medium on said display device, said line being indicative of a direction of fibers. The user can for instance move said line using the input devices 6 b, for instance the mouse and the keyboard.

In another variant, the user measures a numerical value of a spatial angle of fibers on the image of the anisotropic medium displayed on the display device. The user can perform this measurement using for instance conventional angle measurement tools provided on every standard ultrasound system.

The user can then enter the measured numerical value in the central processing unit using the input device in order to indicate spatial characteristics of fibers 3.

In a third embodiment, of the invention, the initial physical parameters are shear wave propagation parameters and the spatial characterization step b) may also be performed automatically as follow.

In this embodiment, the initial ultrasonic acquisition step a) may advantageously comprise a plurality of shear wave imaging steps associated with a plurality of shear wave directions and with a plurality of initial physical parameter acquired in at least one region of interest in the observation field in the anisotropic medium.

More precisely, each shear wave imaging step is performed substantially as described here before in relation with shear wave imaging step c). Thus, each shear wave imaging step comprises first an excitation substep a1) during which a shear wave is generated inside the anisotropic medium with an associated shear wave direction of the plurality of shear wave directions. Thus several shear waves are generated having distinct shear wave directions.

Each shear wave imaging step further comprises an observation substep a2) during which the propagation of the shear wave is observed simultaneously at a multitude of points in the observation field to acquire an associated initial physical parameter, being advantageously a shear wave propagation parameter in this embodiment.

Following this initial ultrasonic acquisition step a), the spatial characterization step b) then comprises a comparison of the acquired shear wave propagation parameters together in order to determine a preferred excitation spatial direction in the anisotropic medium.

For instance, when the acquired shear wave propagation parameters are shear wave speeds, the highest value of the acquired shear wave speed among the plurality acquired shear wave speeds may advantageously be correlated with an excitation shear wave direction having the best alignment with the anisotropic features 3 among the plurality of excitation shear wave directions employed during the initial ultrasonic acquisition step a). It is thus possible to determine a preferred excitation spatial direction in the anisotropic medium 2.

Step a) and b) may also be performed for two or more points of interests and two or more regions of interest. This may be advantageous for instance when the observation field of the anisotropic medium presents several regions having distinct spatial properties. For instance, a first region of the observation field may contain fibers oriented along a first direction while a second region of the observation field may contain vessels oriented along a second direction.

In this case, it is thus advantageous to define a first and a second distinct region of interest, respectively comprised within the first and the second region of the observation field.

The set of spatial characteristics of the anisotropic medium determined during step b) may then comprises a first set of spatial characteristics associated with the first region of interest and a second set of spatial characteristics associated with the second region of interest.

More than two regions of interest may be defined depending on the anisotropic medium 2.

When the set of spatial characteristics has been determined, the control system 6, 9 of the apparatus 1 can then generate a shear wave 14 adapted to the spatial characteristics of the anisotropic medium 2 by varying the position of the focal points 13 a of the focused ultrasound waves 13 and the timing of the emission of the focused ultrasound waves 13 as detailed here-above in relation with substep c1).

In particular, the control system 6, 9 of the apparatus 1 can then generate an shear wave whose propagation direction is substantially aligned with the spatial extension directions 3 a of the anisotropic features 3.

The control system 6, 9 of the apparatus 1 can also generate an shear wave whose shear wave front is substantially perpendicular to the spatial extension directions 3 a of the anisotropic features 3.

When more than two regions of interest are defined, the spatial characteristics of the shear wave, in particular the shear wave propagation directions, may then be adapted for each regions of interest. Thus, a shear wave having at least two propagation directions may be generated. Such a shear wave is for instance a spherical wave and in particular may thus be a wave that is not a plane wave but a complex wave.

Alternatively, several shear waves may be emitted each being generated on the basis of spatial characteristics associated with a region of interest.

The spatial characterization step b) and the shear wave imaging step c) may also be reiterated to further refine the set of spatial characteristics.

An image obtained during step c) of iteration n, for instance a map of a propagation parameter determined by a map-making substep c4), can then be used as the initial physical parameter for step b) at iteration n+1.

It should be noted that the method of the invention may further include a tracking step or substep for tracking deformations and displacement of the anisotropic medium 2 (in particular of anisotropic features 3) so that the measurements of ultrasonic parameter are done at a same location within the anisotropic medium 2.

Besides, shear wave imaging as described above may be coupled with conventional ultrasound imaging provided in real time by the same apparatus. 

1-30. (canceled)
 31. A shear wave elastography method for imaging an observation field in an anisotropic medium, the method comprising a) an initial ultrasonic acquisition step during which at least one initial physical parameter is acquired in at least one region of interest in the anisotropic medium; b) a spatial characterization step during which a set of spatial characteristics of the anisotropic medium is determined on the basis of the initial physical parameter; and c) a shear wave imaging step comprising: c1) an excitation substep during which a shear wave is generated inside the anisotropic medium on the basis of said set of spatial characteristics; and c2) an observation substep during which the propagation of said shear wave is observed simultaneously at a multitude of points in the observation field.
 32. The method according to claim 31, wherein the set of spatial characteristics of the anisotropic medium comprises at least one of the following: a direction, spatial angle or spatial position of anisotropic features in the at least one region of interest, and a preferred excitation spatial direction in the at least one region of interest.
 33. The method according to claim 31, wherein the initial physical parameter is an image of the at least one region of interest in the anisotropic medium acquired using B-mode ultrasonic imaging.
 34. The method according to claim 31, wherein the initial ultrasonic acquisition step comprises a shear wave imaging step comprising: a1) an excitation substep during which an shear wave is generated inside the anisotropic medium with at least one shear wave direction; and a2) an observation substep during which the propagation of said shear wave is observed simultaneously at a multitude of points in the at least one region of interest to acquire an initial physical parameter.
 35. The method according to claim 34, wherein the initial ultrasonic acquisition step comprises a plurality of shear wave imaging steps associated with a plurality of shear wave directions and with a plurality of initial physical parameters acquired in at least one region of interest in the anisotropic medium, each shear wave imaging step of the plurality of shear wave imaging steps comprising a1) an excitation substep during which a shear wave is generated inside the anisotropic medium with an associated shear wave direction of the plurality of shear wave directions; and a2) an observation substep during which the propagation of said shear wave is observed simultaneously at a multitude of points in the at least one region of interest to acquire an associated initial physical parameter of the plurality of initial physical parameters.
 36. The method according to claim 34, wherein said initial physical parameters are images of the region of interest in the anisotropic medium acquired using shear wave imaging.
 37. The method according to claim 34, wherein said initial physical parameters are shear wave propagation parameters, acquired in the at least one region of interest, using shear wave imaging.
 38. The method according to claim 37, wherein said shear wave propagation parameters are selected from shear wave speed, shear modulus μ, Young's modulus E, shear elasticity μ1, shear viscosity μ2.
 39. The method according to claim 31, wherein during the initial ultrasonic acquisition step a), at least two initial physical parameters are acquired, respectively associated to at least two distinct regions of interest in the anisotropic medium; wherein during the spatial characterization step b), at least two sets of spatial characteristics are determined, respectively on the basis of the at least two initial physical parameters, and respectively associated to the at least two distinct regions of interest in the anisotropic medium, and wherein during the shear wave imaging step c), during the excitation substep c1), at least two shear waves are generated inside the anisotropic medium, respectively on the basis of the at least two sets of spatial characteristics; and during the observation substep c2), the propagation of said at least two shear waves is observed simultaneously at a multitude of points in the observation field.
 40. The method according to claim 31, wherein the spatial characterization step b) comprises extracting a set of spatial characteristics by performing features detection on at least one image of the anisotropic medium acquired during the initial ultrasonic acquisition step a).
 41. The method according to claim 31, wherein the spatial characterization step b) comprises comparing shear wave propagation parameters of the plurality of shear wave propagation parameters acquired during the initial ultrasonic acquisition step a) to determine a preferred excitation spatial direction in the anisotropic medium.
 42. The method according to claim 31, wherein the spatial characterization step b) comprises displaying an image of the anisotropic medium acquired during the initial ultrasonic acquisition step a) to a user using a display device connected to a central processing unit, said user indicating spatial characteristics of the anisotropic medium using an input device connected to said central processing unit.
 43. The method according to claim 42, wherein said user indicates spatial characteristics of the anisotropic medium by moving, using said input device, a position of a virtual line displayed above said image of the anisotropic medium on said display device, said line being indicative of a spatial characteristic of the anisotropic medium.
 44. The method according to claim 42, wherein said user indicates spatial characteristics by measuring, on said image of the anisotropic medium displayed on the display device, a numerical value of a spatial characteristic of the anisotropic medium using conventional angle measurement tools provided by an ultrasound system, said user then entering said numerical value in the central processing unit using the input device.
 45. The method according to claim 31, wherein the shear wave is generated by emitting at least one focused ultrasound waves in the anisotropic medium using an array of transducers controlled by the central processing unit, the location of the focal points of said focused ultrasound waves and the timing of said focused ultrasound waves being determined by the central processing unit on the basis of the set of spatial characteristics of the anisotropic medium.
 46. The method according to claim 45, wherein the location of the focal points and the timing of the plurality of focused ultrasound waves generating the shear wave are determined so that a wave front of said shear wave is substantially perpendicular to at least one of: a direction of anisotropic features in the anisotropic medium and a preferred excitation spatial direction in the anisotropic medium.
 47. The method according to claim 46, wherein the location of the focal points and the timing of the plurality of focused ultrasound waves generating the shear wave are determined so that a propagation direction of said shear wave is substantially aligned with at least one of: a direction of anisotropic features in the anisotropic medium and a preferred excitation spatial direction in the anisotropic medium.
 48. The method according to claim 31, wherein the observation substep c2) comprises the operations of: c2-1) causing an array of transducers that are controlled independently of one another to emit into the anisotropic medium a succession of ultrasound waves with spatial coverage and timing adapted so that said ultrasound waves exhibit at least partial spatial and temporal overlap with the propagating shear wave in the observation field; and c2-2) causing sound signals received from the anisotropic medium to be detected and recorded in real time by said array of transducers, said signals comprising echoes generated by the ultrasound waves interacting with scatterers in said anisotropic medium, the shear wave imaging step c) further comprising at least one processing substep c3) during which: c3-1) the sound signals received successively from the anisotropic medium during operation c2-2) are processed in order to determine successive propagation images of the shear wave; and c3-2) at least one movement parameter of the anisotropic medium is determined at different points of the observation field.
 49. The method according to claim 48, wherein, during the initial ultrasonic acquisition step, a shear wave propagating along at least two shear wave directions is generated inside the anisotropic medium, and during the processing substep, sound signals received from the anisotropic medium are filtered according to the at least two shear wave directions to determine said at least one initial physical parameter.
 50. The method according to claim 48, in which said movement parameter is a displacement of the anisotropic medium.
 51. The method according to claim 48, wherein at said operation c2-1), said unfocused ultrasound compression waves are emitted at a rate of at least 300 shots per second.
 52. The method according to claim 48, in which the focused ultrasound wave emitted during excitation substep c1) presents a frequency f lying in the range 0.1 MHz to 100 MHz, and is emitted for a duration of k/f seconds, where k is an integer lying in the range 50 to 5000 and f is expressed in Hz.
 53. The method according to claim 48, in which the focused ultrasound wave emitted during excitation substep c1) presents a frequency lying in the range 0.5 MHz to 15 MHz and is emitted during a succession of emission periods separated by rest periods, the emission periods following one another at a rate lying in the range 10 to 1000 emissions per second.
 54. The method according to claim 48, in which the focused ultrasound wave emitted during excitation substep c1) is a linear combination of two monochromatic signals having respective frequencies f1 and f2 such that 20 Hz≦|f1−f2|≦1000 Hz.
 55. The method according to claim 48, in which a focused ultrasound wave emitted during excitation substep c1) is focused simultaneously on a plurality of focal points.
 56. The method according to claim 48, in which image processing substep c3) is followed by a mapping substep c4) during which, on the basis of variation in the movement parameter over time, at least one shear wave propagation parameter is calculated at at least some points of the observation field in order to determine a map of said propagation parameter in the observation field.
 57. The method according to claim 56, in which the shear wave propagation parameter which is calculated during mapping substep c4) is selected from shear wave speed, shear modulus, Young's modulus, shear wave attenuation, shear elasticity, shear viscosity, mechanical relaxation time and the inverse of local strain.
 58. The method according to claim 56, in which substeps c1) to c4) are repeated successively while emitting different plurality of focused ultrasound waves during successive excitation substeps c1), and then combining the maps obtained during the successive mapping substeps c4) in order to calculate a combination map of the observation field.
 59. The method according to claim 56, wherein steps b) and c) are reiterated at least once, a map of a propagation parameter in the observation field acquired during step c) at iteration n being used as initial physical parameter for step b) at iteration n+1.
 60. Imaging apparatus for implementing a shear wave elastography method according to claim 31 for imaging an observation field in an anisotropic medium, the apparatus comprising an array of transducers that are controlled independently of one another by at least one electronic central unit adapted: to acquire at least one initial physical parameter in at least one region of interest in the anisotropic medium; to determine a set of spatial characteristics of the anisotropic medium on the basis of the initial physical parameter; to cause an shear wave to be generated inside the anisotropic medium on the basis of said set of spatial characteristics; and to observe the propagation of said shear wave simultaneously at a multitude of points in the observation field. 